Cash in on the generous welcome package and join one of the very best online poker rooms in New Zealand for an experience unlike any other.

What makes 888 Poker Casino stand out?

It is one of the biggest brands in online poker

The traffic on the poker room is great, putting it among the most active sites

Modern software allows for easy connections on different devices

Mobile poker room features cash games, SNG and scheduled tournaments

Welcome package contains a registration bonus, a first deposit bonus and tournament tickets

The owner, 888Holdings, is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange

Screenshots

Beginners Lobby

Holdem Lobby

Tournament Lobby

Lobby Settings

Table View Poker

Sea Theme Table

Table View Cards

Tournament Lobby

888 Poker Review

888 Poker has had a steady rise to fame in the online poker world and things only seem to be getting better. The initial poker room was under a different name, with Pacific Poker going live in 1997. In 2002, 888.com Poker was officially launched, while coming with significant improvements. Right now, it is the second largest online poker room in the world and it is available in New Zealand. It does not however accept players from the United States given the current regulations but 888 Holdings does have some reach in the states that have legalized real money online poker.

One of the things that help make 888 Poker great is the fact that it uses its own software, developed in-house by 888 Holdings. This means full control over the client and the results are very impressive, with players getting great functionality directly on the website, by downloading the client and on different mobile devices.

Not only can the card room be trusted but it has one of the best records in the business. With more than 10 million registered users, 888 Poker has something for everyone. It operates on the 888 online platform, which includes products for sports betting, casino games and bingo.

Mobile Poker

5.0

Supported devices

When it comes to mobile poker, you would be hard pressed to find a better option. 888 Mobile Poker is great for playing on the go, at any time and from anywhere. Applications are provided for Apple iOS and for Android but players can also connect directly from the web browsers on their smartphones or tablets.

The app for iPhone and iPad can be found on iTunes but both the Apple and the Android app can also be requested from the 888 Poker website as well. Users with Windows phones, BlackBerry or other devices can use the instant play mobile version to connect.

The sleek design of the mobile lobby and tables is similar to the one found on desktop computers, although the customization options are not as rich. A nice touch to the gaming platform is that users can still opt for practice play if they wish and thus use the demo credits to play poker with real opponents.

Real money mobile poker at 888 is pretty straightforward. Existing customers can use the same account details to sign in, while newcomers can easily register from the app or on the site. Once logged in, the simplified lobby will show options for cash games, sit & go tournaments and scheduled tournaments. There are even options for playing the fast-fold poker version known as SNAP on smartphones to really make the most out of every minute.

Bonuses and Promotions

4.9

The welcome bonus is an important part of the 888 Poker review because it is something that new players are always interested in. If this is your first time joining the poker room, you are in for a nice treat. Simply registering is enough to get you $88 for free, with another $400 waiting on the first deposit.

To make the welcome even better, 888 Poker is also adding seven tickets to the $500 Depositors' Free Tournaments, two tickets for the $1,000 Depositors Free Tournaments and one ticket for the First Depositors' Challenge Tournament. These events are scheduled tournaments and can be found in the lobby.

For the main 100% bonus up to $400, the sum is released in $10 increments every time 100 Bonus Points are earned. Bonus Points are a way to guarantee wagering requirements in advance and can be earned by playing real money poker since it is based on the rake contributed in cash games and on the tournament fees paid when entering.

There are other hot promotions available at 888 Poker but these are normally time limited. Registered players can take part very easily so it is a good idea to check out the promotions page on the site or read the messages in the account presenting the latest offers.

For even more rewards, the 888poker Club presents an entire road packed with benefits. This loyalty program is unique to the online card room and gives users the chance to level up by completing Club Challenges and earning points. Higher levels unlock improved prizes.

Poker Games and Software

5.0

888 Poker has really made it its mission to please its customers and while the high stakes tables have been removed in order to discourage sharks, the selection of poker games and betting levels is very impressive. This doesn’t just apply to cash games but also to online poker tournaments, since the schedule is always packed and the action never seems to stop.

Texas Hold'em

Seven Card Stud

Seven Card Stud 8 or Better

Omaha

Omaha Hi/Lo

SNAP

Webcam

BLAST

Thanks to its very high traffic numbers, the poker room online has countless games running throughout the day. This is good news for players from New Zealand since the peak hours are mostly based on European times. However, even during the slow hours, there are thousands of real money players.

Cash games start from micro stakes of $0.01/$0.02 and can reach $25/$50 for no limit Texas Hold'em. This is the variation that gets the most traffic right now since the poker game is popular around the world and draws in the big crowds. However, the lobby will also present tabs for 7 Card Stud, Omaha and more.

Having its own software produced by 888 Holdings does come with a few advantages. Not only does the client look good and works on different devices but it also has some nice features. The operator is constantly improving its poker software and this can result in new poker games.

888 Poker offers SNAP Poker, which is a fast-fold version where players are moved to new tables when they fold in order to greatly reduce waiting times from hands they are not part of. Another special poker game is called BLAST. This is a Sit & Go option where four players compete for a random prize in a time-limited event that can reach 10,000 times the buy-in. Then there is Webcam Poker that allows players to see their opponents in real time.

Deposits and Withdrawals

5.0

BANKING OPTIONS

The list of banking methods accepted at 888 Poker is definitely not short. In fact, it includes pretty much all of the frequently used options for online payments and they cover different types, such as credit cards, POLi, debit cards, prepaid cards and bank transfers, both online and offline.

Short descriptions are available in the help section and there are also guides for making deposits. Everything is 100% secure and real money payments are added to the account instantly once they have been processed.

For withdrawals, things can take a bit of time to complete given the longer processing period and the added timeframe from the actual banking option. Overall, it takes between four and six days to get money out of the account and the fastest methods seem to be Skrill, Neteller and PayPal.

Customer Support and Help

4.1

Customer support is not as good as the other aspects of 888 Poker. Given the large player pool, there are major difficulties in providing 24/7 assistance, especially when the platform doesn’t just have poker but other popular online gambling options as well.

Players are encouraged to find answers to their questions in the 888poker Support Centre. The large help hub has information on various topics related to poker online and the software. If the FAQs are not enough, users can send an email to the support team by completing the online web form. It can take more than 24 hours to receive a response.

Email: Max response 3 days

Phone: Not available

Live chat: Not available

Skype: Not available

Conclusion

With everything covered in the 888 Poker review, we can honestly say that the poker room is one of the top choices, if not the very best. The modern software looks great and works even better as players can easily browse a wide selection of poker games and stakes.

Traffic is normally a good indicator of a reliable online poker room since there are so many options available nowadays. Even so, 888 has managed to maintain its lead over almost all of its competitors and that is saying a lot. Not to mention that its promotional campaigns make the competition softer at the tables.

Overall, New Zealanders will be happy with their choice if they decide to join 888poker and get started with the large welcome package.

The withdrawal timeframe depends on which banking method is used to cash out. For credit cards from Visa or MasterCard, it can take up to 8 business days. Wire transfers are done in 7-10 days and cash outs via web wallets like Skrill, NETELLER and PayPal take four or five business days.